Chapter 49 - 51 Summary

The teenager on the bus explains to David that every fan of punk rocker Judas Taboo has dyed their hair red, white and blue in honor of the first anniversary of the punk rocker's suicide. Hopelessly, David tries to get off the bus by pulling the driver-alert cord but it has been disconnected. As the bus travels down a country road, David asks one of the teenagers where the bus is going. The kid just laughs at him.

Chartrukian knows he is not authorized to go down to the sub-levels but the only one on the Crypto floor who might see him is Hale. He decides to take the risk. When Chartrukian opens the trap door to the service entrance, he compares it to the gateway to hell.

From Node 3, Hale watches Chartrukian open the trapdoor and ease down the ladder...